Guidance on good youth hunts

[lamrith]

This will be my son's second year hunting, last year we were unable to put in for draws as his Hunter's ed was after the deadline.  We tried otc general rifle for BT and both struck out.

This year I would like to put him in for some of the youth draws (deer and elk) in hopes of getting better hunt opportunities for him with less general hunter pressure.  He is 14 so we do not have many years to get him a youth hunt left.

He will be hunting with rifle season.
I am not asking for secret spots or anything, but I could use some guidance on hunts to put him in for.  Looking for hunts that will offer good chance of a shot for him and for us to be out there enjoying the hunt,seeing wildlife without physically blowing up in steep terrain.  I want it to be enjoyable experience, not a tough mudder one, I save that for my archery elk hunts.

West side for both would be best as we are in Pierce Cty, but willing to consider east side if there are better opportunities just over the border into eastern.  Deer we could of course do some east and some west..

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

[JakeLand]

Pm sent

[Widgeondeke]

Enter the SCI contest.  Great youth opportunity

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=212267.msg2825707#msg2825707

[treeclimber2852]

Enter the SCI contest.  Great youth opportunity

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=212267.msg2825707#msg2825707

 

My son got the opportunity last year.  All the kids that SCI took out to Colville connected.  It was a great day for his first deer.  Used his great grandpas -06 and had his grandpa sitting at his side.  That unit is loaded with whitetail so if you go general season you'll have a good shot yourself and you can make a long weekend of it. 

[roger1042]

Do y’all know if they do this every year? What a great experience.

[pianoman9701]

These look like great opportunities for young hunters to experience. 

[cem3434]

I have not seen or heard of them doing this in the last couple of years. I know SCI NW has a banquet 3/11 at the Emerald Queen Casino in Fife. They usually raffle/auction off exotic sheep hunts on a ranch in Oregon for a bunch of kids and make a big group weekend out of it. If someone is looking for a good first hunting experience with their kiddo, this might be worth checking out. 

[brokentrail]

@lamrith  Unsure where you are in Pierce County but, do you buy any land access permits?  If you do not, that doesn't exclude what I am about to tell you, it just gives you more access to some other land.

This is my youngest of 3 boys last year as a youth.  I have put all of my boys in for a youth antlerless tag, in GMU 654, every year they were eligible.  Sometimes they draw with no accrued points, sometimes they have to skip a year before they draw.  All of them have successfully harvested deer while hunting those youth antlerless tags.  It isn't specifically easy, as with kids, all of the stars often have to align, depending on their hunting experience and knowledge, but it is very doable, and I would almost say, you will get at least one opportunity if you get off the roads and hunt.

That is a west side opportunity that I am familiar with.  I am certain there are others too.  Additionally, iirc, and I would have to check the current regs, there is often a youth anterless 4 day hunt, during season, without a special permit,  on the east side in specific GMU's.

Hope that helps.

[roger1042]

Got confirmation from the SCI folks that they aren’t currently offering the youth hunt. Sounds like their area no longer has a youth doe tag.

[MADMAX]

If your interested in making memories
I recommend you take your kids to eastern Montana
Get some doe tags
Spend a week or so
You’ll see more deer in 10 days than 10 years in Washington
Its a target rich environment

[Stein]

Bummer on the SCI, my daughter did that hunt and my son did one through First Hunt Foundation.  Both were top notch, the First Hunt foundation also had lectures and range time as well as a mentor and camping.

Unfortunately WDFW has really cut down on the number of good youth tags but there are still some opportunities there.

[WSU]

Look at the youth any deer/antlerless hunts.  For deer, a lot start a week early.  My kid drew one last year.  We saw plenty of deer and filled his tag the first morning.